Meta Design Links: 07 Sept 07

1) Toshio Iwai’s much anticipated Tenori-On is finally available today. Check out the videos to see how it works. It’s a totally rad music making device. (Thanks Drew)
2) Ravi Chhatpar, Strategy Director in frog’s Shanghai studio, has written an interesting piece called “Innovate Faster by Melding Design and Strategy” for the Harvard Business Review. (Thanks Sara)
Here is the article Abstract:

In the article Ravi describes the benefits of intensive collaboration between designers and corporate decision makers. He argues that by adopting an iterative development process in which design and business strategy impact one another directly, businesses gain the ability “to adapt to rapid, unforeseen changes in markets and user references” – something the traditional, sequential method of production can’t allow. By bringing designers into this process at an earlier stage, companies can increase their agility and, in the end, their revenue.

3) Apple Tax = $200 (or $3/day). Ok you all know how much I love Apple (I really do!), but it is so amazing how fans will stand up to so much abuse by them.

Apple also announced a price drop for the iPhone. The 8GB model is now $200 cheaper, at $399. Great news for people who want to buy one, but a kick in the teeth to all the poor saps (like me!) who paid $600 for one 67 days ago or less.

Other Apple related rants and news: Scoble’s $600 Tax, MacWorld’s “iPhone pricing and the Early Adopter Tax“, and Nokia’s clever response and Marketing ploy:
Finally Steve Job’s response, which is a $100 of store credit to buy even more Apple stuff. I cannot believe how can a brand have so much power, that even with such abuse the fanatical fans still come back for more. However I think cracks are starting to show around the edges and Apple cannot afford to continue to do this to their own brand equity. Otherwise equally great companies like Nokia will slowly chip around the edges as much as possible.